Scholarships for youngsters

September 19, 2008 12:00 am

By , NAIROBI, September 20 – The Samsung NextHero campaign has set aside a Sh930,000 scholarship fund for young upcoming footballers.

Under the scholarship, 31 boys and girls will receive yearly sponsorships grants worth Sh30,000 each in a government run school.

The scheme will reward outstanding footballers from underprivileged areas by supporting them continue with their education

Speaking on Friday while unveiling the scholarship, Samsung marketing manager Gloria Anampiu said that the recipients will be selected from the Inter-Provincial girls’ football tournament and the Samsung NextHero MYSA championships.

“Seven players will be selected during Inter Provincial girls’ tournament which takes place this weekend and other 24 players picked from the MYSA championship,” she said.

MYSA executive director Peter Karanja said that the scholarship will enable children develop their talent through youth programmes in their zones.

“Mathare Youth Sports Association objective is to encourage children stay in school since we acknowledge that it is an integral part of a successful youth programme,” Karanja commented.

Apart from being a talented and skillful footballer, scholarship winners must have participated in at least two clean up activities in 2008, be students in either primary or secondary school and have participated in the 2008 MYSA leagues with impeccable character and a track record of living in the MYSA values of community service and self discipline.

Eligible scholarship recipients will be drawn from the under 13 and under 16 categories by an oversight committee that will comprise MYSA coaches and staff, MYSA culture and community director, representative from Samsung Electronics and a media personality.

The selection criteria shall see two best players from under 13 and under 16 and the top scorer of the tournament will be picked alongside the best goalkeeper being drawn from the two age groups.

“The oversight committee will select two best players from under 13 and one from under 16 age categories while we shall have two top scores from under 13 and one from under 16 respectively,” Anampiu stated.

Apart from the scholarship, the winners of the tournament will get uniforms, each participating team will get balls and each player will be given a certificate.

Meanwhile, MYSA will spend close to Sh1.5 million in improving the football fields across Eastlands.

MYSA,Sports Manager Stephen Muchoki, said that the improvement will establish league games in the MYSA zones

“With around S1.5 million we are going to put new goal posts and improve the PCA, Eastleigh Centre, Kasarani Soccer Mwiji, we have Mathare North, St Benedict field, Kariobangi South KCC and finally Githurai Kimbwa fields ,”Muchoki said.